– 101-year-old great-grandmother arrested for selling cannabis; cocaine hidden in fufu intercepted
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has uncovered a new maritime route being exploited by international drug syndicates to smuggle synthetic cannabis into Nigeria, following the seizure of 1.49 tonnes of “Loud” worth more than N4.4 billion at the Apapa and Lekki ports in Lagos.
The consignments, shipped from Thailand, mark the agency’s first recorded seizure of illicit drugs trafficked into Nigeria from the Southeast Asian country through the maritime corridor, raising fresh concerns over the emergence of Nigeria as a destination and transit point for international drug trafficking networks.
The breakthrough was part of a nationwide series of operations by NDLEA operatives between August 15 and 22, which also resulted in the destruction of 10 tonnes of cannabis, interception of cocaine concealed inside edible cassava flour popularly known as fufu, and the arrest of a 101-year-old woman allegedly involved in retail cannabis sales.
